I'll be heading home Saturday morning. But we'll see. I will be camping near by (I hope).
Overland Expo, Flagstaff, AZ May 17-19, 2013
- Thread starter phillyd2
- Start date
I'll be heading home Saturday morning. But we'll see. I will be camping near by (I hope).
Well, I got home last night. 13 + hour drive but I have to tell you, the show is worth every minute. We talked to a bunch of people who actually did the type of outback trips we do. (unlike the mickey thompson guy who trailered his virgin rigs in).
I liked a bunch of the exhibits and exhibitors: Ironman, Adventure trailers, Reststop, Tembo tusk, to name a few of the hundred or so that were there.
If you had questions, they were the ones to talk to. If you had something you didn't quite understand, they took it apart and had you do it. I loved it.
Three notable exceptions: Baja racks. They were like, why are you bothering us with questions like which is stronger, the bars or the expanded metal, or of course we have a rack to fit your rig, what are you stupid? I was ready to buy and they lost more than one customer.
Rigid lights. Where is the hell was the salesperson? Not there on Friday? His booth was set up.
And Goal Zero. Great concept, great marketing and packaging, but their product ... not so great. Way overpriced and the their connectors don't match, their products don't work with other products, they don't have adaptors to fit your ready made products.
There were also a lot of people pushing the latest and greatest product, which frankly doesn't work worth a darn, but they know some people have to have the newest stuff out there. (kind of like a pissing contest).
So, go next time, don't spend just one day. Friday was windy and cold. Mormon lake is a lake bed, expect a lot of dust and dirt everywhere. Go to some of the lectures and shows.
My purchases: Maxxtrax, Ironman rescue kit, (check out the axe), Rest stop complete toilet with privacy tent, Ironman deflator. I was going to buy a Canyon cooler, which I needed next Wednesday but completely spaced on it (now I have to order it online)
I liked a bunch of the exhibits and exhibitors: Ironman, Adventure trailers, Reststop, Tembo tusk, to name a few of the hundred or so that were there.
If you had questions, they were the ones to talk to. If you had something you didn't quite understand, they took it apart and had you do it. I loved it.
Three notable exceptions: Baja racks. They were like, why are you bothering us with questions like which is stronger, the bars or the expanded metal, or of course we have a rack to fit your rig, what are you stupid? I was ready to buy and they lost more than one customer.
Rigid lights. Where is the hell was the salesperson? Not there on Friday? His booth was set up.
And Goal Zero. Great concept, great marketing and packaging, but their product ... not so great. Way overpriced and the their connectors don't match, their products don't work with other products, they don't have adaptors to fit your ready made products.
There were also a lot of people pushing the latest and greatest product, which frankly doesn't work worth a darn, but they know some people have to have the newest stuff out there. (kind of like a pissing contest).
So, go next time, don't spend just one day. Friday was windy and cold. Mormon lake is a lake bed, expect a lot of dust and dirt everywhere. Go to some of the lectures and shows.
My purchases: Maxxtrax, Ironman rescue kit, (check out the axe), Rest stop complete toilet with privacy tent, Ironman deflator. I was going to buy a Canyon cooler, which I needed next Wednesday but completely spaced on it (now I have to order it online)
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Sundog7121
Member
Adding my experience of Friday. The show was immense. I had no idea of the scope of it, so allotted only Friday as I was heading to SoCAl to be with family for a week. Next year I'll do all three days and camp at the show. Immense doesn't really describe it. There were several thousand at least (hard to tell because it covered so much area) from motorcyclists carrying their camp on their back to immense custom motorhomes with matching trailers for their expedition equipment. THe exhibit was incredible, as described by Semi-Hex. I was really impressed with the South African racks by Front Runner and Hannibal. And the little Moby1 trailer was a cutie.
Drove a Land Rover Evoque over the 4WD course, and it was so neat that I took my 13TE out and drove it over the course also. IMHO TE is better, but the little Evoque that looks like a street car was really impressive.
The Rigid folks were at their tent when I went by so got some good info from them, Baja Racks seemed a little impatient - probably just not "show" people.
Wandered the class area, recovering rigs from a deep mud hole, winching demos, and a whole lot more.
Ran across Larry form SoCal - very nice rig and great to talk to!!
I almost traded my TE for a Unimog but then realized that commuting in a Unimog might not be suitable.
All in all, a fantastic show and I recommend it without reservation if you can get to it next year.
:thumb3:
Drove a Land Rover Evoque over the 4WD course, and it was so neat that I took my 13TE out and drove it over the course also. IMHO TE is better, but the little Evoque that looks like a street car was really impressive.
The Rigid folks were at their tent when I went by so got some good info from them, Baja Racks seemed a little impatient - probably just not "show" people.
Wandered the class area, recovering rigs from a deep mud hole, winching demos, and a whole lot more.
Ran across Larry form SoCal - very nice rig and great to talk to!!
I almost traded my TE for a Unimog but then realized that commuting in a Unimog might not be suitable.
All in all, a fantastic show and I recommend it without reservation if you can get to it next year.
:thumb3:
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I couldn't believe how big some of these were. I have absolutely no idea what kind of fuel mileage would be, but probably not as good as my trail. We have overpasses here that they wouldn't fit.
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